Gregg Rainwater: Bob, Andy

Quotes 

• Andy : There are over 300 federally recognized American Indian tribes in North America, and each one has its own distinctive culture and heritage. The name Navajo was given to our people by the Spanish missionaries, we called ourselves "Dene", the old Navajo land the Dinetah stretched from what is now Colorado through New Mexico and into Arizona. It is believed that the earliest Dene may have migrated to this land from the north over 1200 years ago.

  Pepper Ann : [reading her report in school]  And then in WWII, the Navajo language was used as a code for the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific, and was never broken. Today the Navajo nation is one of the largest American Indian tribes in the United States, and I'm proud that my heritage includes a people who are some of the original ingredients to our great American Melting Pot.

• Bob : I'm sorry, Pepper Ann, all I really know is that my father was British, and my mother's side of the family originally came from Spain.

  Pepper Ann : And you don't have any clues beyond that?

  Bob : Now wait a second, there is something. My mother gave it to me, it was passed down on her side of the family from your great-great grandma, who was a Navajo. I never knew much about her, all I know is I'm 1/8th Navajo, so I guess that makes you 1/16th American Indian, Pepper Ann.

  Pepper Ann : You mean I'm a real life Indian? Cool!

• Pepper Ann : [meeting the Navajo family]  How! Now don't tell me, you must be something like Taming Bear, or He Who Shoots Arrow With Big Bow. Am I close?

  Dave : Well I'm Dave, this is my mom and dad, Carol and Bob, and the quiet one in the back is my grandfather, Andy.

  Bob : You know, not all American Indians have American Indian names, just like not all Italian Americans are named Vinny or Vito.

• Pepper Ann : Come on in, my tepee is your tepee.

  Bob : Uh, actually, the traditional Navajo dwelling is called a hogan, and it's buil-

  [Pepper Ann takes off whooping] 

• Carol : Pepper Ann, your braided hair looks like it might be Lakoda, Navajo men and women traditionally wear their hair twisted into a chongo, a figure-8 shape...

  Pepper Ann : Yeah, I was going for a kind of Pocahontas thing, but it kind of turned into more of a Sporty Spice...

  Bob : Pepper Ann, I think you need to understan...

  Lydia : Who wants corn on the cob?

  Pepper Ann : Please excuse my paleface mother, she means maize.

  Lydia : Uh... sure has been hot lately. Hot... and... dry.

  Pepper Ann : Now you're talking! Who's up for a little rain dance?

  [dances around whooping] 

  Bob : Enough! Do you have any idea how offensive this is to our culture? I thought you invited us here to learn about being Navajo.

  Pepper Ann : Totally. I want to learn how to sneak up on people without them hearing, how to give gifts and then take them right back again. All that good stuff.

  Bob : Everyone, the car, NOW!